Mulch can act as magic to any garden. It can be made with a variety or organic and earth grown materials. It moderates the temperature of the soil and aids in disease prevention in flowers and in plants. While mulch can be purchased at practically any lawn and garden store, it can also be made from scratch. Follow these steps to make your very own cheap leaf Mulch in Connecticut.
Pile and Shred
The first step to making leaf mulch is to pile up the leaves. Make sure all the leaves in the pile are dry. After the leaves are all piled, they will need to be shredded. Whole leaves cannot be used in mulch because they will not break down enough over the colder months. To shred leaves, try using a manual lawn mower, leaf shredder, or wood chopper.
Add Nitrogen
Once the leaves are piled, place them in a compost bin. The leaves should be placed in 14 to 18-inch layers. In order for the leaves to break down over colder months, they will need some form of nitrogen. Forms of nitrogen include: grass clippings, ammonium nitrate, urea, or bone meal. The easiest way to add the nitrogen needed is to simply use some grass clippings and add them to the compost of leaves. From there, add a bit of water to the leaves and clippings. Do not drench the leaves. They just need to be damp. Repeat this process with new layers of leaves and grass clippings until the compost bin is full.
Protect the Mulch
Now that the hard part is over, all that’s needed is a way to protect the mulch from inclement weather and nature. To protect the mulch, cover the compost bin with either a large tarp or plastic wrap. This will protect the mulch from rain, snow, and from animals attempting to nest or feed on the mulch.
Follow these three steps to make your very own leaf based Mulch in Connecticut. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make homemade mulch. Visit the website for even more information on mulch and gardening.